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BLOG: Eakins on Draisaitl

by
Chris Wescott
/ Edmonton Oilers

Selected third-overall in this year’s draft, Leon Draisaitl is set to begin his rookie season in Edmonton. Oilers Head Coach Dallas Eakins spoke on Sunday about what he expects from Draisaitl and what his observations were of the 18-year-old.

“I think his size, he’s not going to get pushed around on the ice, that’s for sure,” Eakins said. “The other thing was his ability to make NHL plays and seem calm to do it. I think he showed us all flashes of what he’s capable of. The challenge for a player coming out of junior is to be able to do it every night. That should be part of the process for him, but that should be his goal that he’s going to have a positive impact on the game every night. Is he going to have hiccups along the way? Absolutely. He’s a teenager. We’re ready to help him right away and, in the end, he was better than our other options right now.”